Something Is Missing: The First Step in Evaluation

Before you evaluate anything, you need to prepare your organization to make the most of this essential tool with its ability to both determine value and add value. This vital beginning step is called evaluation capacity development. Most grantors ask nonprofits to evaluate their programs' effectiveness, and nonprofits often respond by gathering numbers and quotes from recipients. Becoming a more evaluative organization will mean more creative decision-making. And the more individual voices that are included in the evaluation process, the richer and more meaningful the outcome. A culture of evaluation, where everyone can be a part of the process, contributes to organizational learning and continued improvement and far exceeds the limited benefits of simply understanding how a single program or project is doing.